Improvement in mail-bags



E. W. GLOVER.

MAIL-BAG.

Patented Jan.'30,18 77 NJEIERS'. FHoTrLLxTHnGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITE 'rares LA; T g

EDWARI) W. GLOVER, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,827, dated January 30, 1877 application filed I January 19, 1877.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. GLOVER, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and AState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Proof Mail Bags or Pouches, of which the following isa specification:

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail bags or pouches, its object being to provide a fire-proof receptacle for the transportation of mail-matter that will protect the same from destruction by fire incident to railroad accidents; and to this end the invention consists, first, in a pouch or bag composed of a fabric of vegetable or mineral nature, such as flax, hemp, cotton, mineral wool, or asbestus, treated with certain chemicals to resist the action of fire, said pouch or bag being adapted to inclose an inner bag or mail-pouch, as more fully hereinafter specified second, in a pouch or bag composed of two thicknesses of material, or consisting of an inner and outer bag, leaving an air-tight space between the two, either or both of said ybags or pouches being treated chemically, so as to be fire-proof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved bag or pouch. Fig. 2 represents a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a view of the upper part of the bag or pouch, with the mouth open 5 and Fig. 4, a sectional view of the bag, showing a separate bag or pouch inclosed.

The letterArepresents a bag or pouch, constructed of a fabric composed of vegetable or mineral ber, such as flax, hemp, cotton, mineral wool, or asbestus, or any other material which will absorb and hold the chemicals necessary to render the bag fire-proof. The rear side of the bag is made somewhat longer than the front side, in order that it may be folded over to form a comparatively air-tight seal to the bag, as more fully hereinafter explained. The bag may be made of one thickness of fabric; but it is preferably made of two thicknesses, or constructed of an inner and outer bag, which may be united at the mouth, leaving an air-tight space between the two, for greater security of the contents against destruction by re. The fabric of either or both of the bags is rendered fire-proof by treatment with any of the ordinary fire-proofing materials or chemicals, such as tungstate of soda, silicate of soda, sulphateof ammonia, or other salt, or a combination of one or more ot' said salts. In practice, I have found a compound of three parts of borax and /two and one-half parts of epsom-salts in twenty parts of water answers well as a fire-proofing material, the fabric or bags being saturated subjected to an intense heat form a glazing or glassy coating, which protects the bag and its contents f'rom destruction.

In order to securely protect the opening at the mouth of the bag and form an air-tight seal for the same, the bag or pouch, at its rear, is formed with an extension or flap projecting beyond the mouth, which, together with the upper portion of the front of the bag at the mouth, is folded over at each corner on the lines my, Fig. 3, partially closing the mouth, after which the angular flap thus formed is turned down over the front of the bag or pouch, as shown in Fig. 1, securely and tightly closing the bag. The front and rear portions of the bag or pouch are provided with oblong eyelets BC, arranged in such relation to each other that when the mouthof the bag is folded and secured, as above mentioned, the eyelets of the rear and front will fall opposite each other, and form passages for the lock-strap D, which is secured at its center to the back of the bag in such manner that its free ends can be passed through the eyelets and united over a staple, F, at the front of the bag, being provided with eyelet-plates Gr for the purpose. The rear flap of the bag is provided with an eyelet, H, which is also secured over said staple, the Whole being confined thereon by means of a padlock, I, or a fastening device of any other suitablel description.

The bag as thus prepared and constructed may be used directly as a receptacle for mailmatter; but I prefer to use an inner bag of lighter material, or to employ the bag as a receptacle for the ordinary mail-pouches, as a further safeguard against fire. In case the inner bag is employed it is generally made of lighter material, and may be simply tied at its mouth, as the outer bag is securely locked at its mouth. To prevent abstraction of let` ters or loss should the mouth of the outer bag become partially opened, either through accident or design, the inner bag is preferably placed in the outer one, mouth downward, as shown in Fig. 4;.

By means of the peculiar method and devices for fastening the bag or pouch it will be seen that it will be impossible for the bag to become wholly opened Without cutting or breaking both ends of the lock-strap, securin g the contents, in a great measure, from aceidental loss, as it can rarely happen that both ends of the strap would wear or break at the same time, and even should they break, the mouth of the bag will still retain its folded condition unless opened by actual violence.

The material of the bag being' rendered tireproof, and the mouth secured in such manner as to make it nearly air-tight, it is evident that in case of fire it would require considerable time before the contents of the bag would be reached and destroyed, giving ample time for the removal of the bags before the letters or other mail-matter could be destroyed, the bag thus proving an almost absolute safeguard against lire.

pouch proper, by which means it is not only protected against rough usage, but is also protected against re.

By means of impregnating or applying the chemicals named, or their equivalents, to the fabric composing the bag, the fabric becomes coated with borate of magnesia, which is insoluble in hot or cold water, and repels lire or heat, and the bag is not only rendered fireproof, but, when brought to a high temperature, the chemicals named will form volatile ammonia or carbonio-.acid gas sniciently to extinguish or smother the :fire around or near the bag by destroying or overcoming the oxygen of the air, which will prevent combustion and absolutely. prevent the burning of the bag. The silicate of sod a forms a glassy coating to the bag, which renders the same airtight, avoids the escape of moisture in the bag, and prevents the oxygen of the air from coming in contact with the same to produce com'- bustion.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A mail bag or pouch composed of fabric of vegetable or mineral nature, such as cotton, dax, hemp, or asbestos, chemically treated to resist fire, substantially as described.

2. A mailfbag composed of two or more thicknesses of chemically prepared fabric, leaving an air-tight space between the two for the protection of the contents against fire, substantially as described;

3. The mail-bag herein described, composed of a fabric or fiber chemically treated, to render it lire-proof, and constructed substantially as described, a'nd adapted to receive and hold an interior bag to create an intervening space between the two, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD W. GLOVER.

Witnesses:

J AMES L. NoRRIs, Jos. L. CooMBs. 

